TREASURY

Tax Consultations

David Gauke: Since the June Budget 2010, the Government have taken a number of steps to improve tax policy making, with consultation on policy and scrutiny of legislation as the cornerstones.
	Budget 2011 announced a number of tax policy changes and longer-term tax reforms that will be subject to consultation. These are summarised in the tax consultation tracker, which is available on the HM Treasury website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/tax_updates.htm.
	HM Revenue and Customs and HM Treasury will tomorrow publish the following consultation documents:
	A new incentive for charitable legacies—A consultation to inform policy detail on how best to implement a lower rate of inheritance tax when leaving 10% or more of an estate to charity.
	Consultation on the patent box—A consultation on how to implement a reduced 10% rate of corporation tax for profits arising from patents.
	Research and  d evelopment tax credits: response and consultation —A response to the November 2010 consultation and detail of further proposed changes to the research and development tax reliefs.
	Updates to dates for some consultations planned for June and July have been made to the tax consultation tracker.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Homes Programme

Greg Clark: Further to the written statement of 14 February 2011, Official  Report, column 36WS from my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Local Government, I am today announcing the publication of the technical revision to annex B of planning policy statement 3, to make clear that affordable rent falls within the definition of affordable housing for planning purposes. Also published today is a document summarising the responses that were received to the consultation paper, planning policy statement 3: “Planning for Housing Technical Change to Annex B, Affordable Housing Definition”, published on 14 February 2011; and an “Affordable Rent Impact Assessment”.
	Planning policy statement 3, with a revised annex B can be found at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps3housing.
	The summary of responses is at: www.communities. gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps3annexsummary.
	The affordable rent impact assessment at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/rentimpactassessment.
	The above documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

EDUCATION

Education and Youth Council

Tim Loughton: Education Council
	I represented the UK at the Education Council. The Council was preceded by a ministerial breakfast on the subject of adult learning. During this I set out UK policy on our skills strategy, reforms to the national careers service, and the forthcoming Government consultation on informal adult learning.
	Early school leaving
	The Council agreed a recommendation on policies to reduce early school leaving by qualified majority. The UK voted against the recommendation as it was inconsistent with our national approach. While we understand and accept the importance of reducing early school leaving in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy, we have concerns with the policy approach suggested in the recommendation. For example, some of the language on “modularisation of courses” and “individualised learning approaches” sits uncomfortably with our strong belief that it is for teachers to decide the educational styles that best suit their students’ needs. Commissioner Vassiliou later noted that
	“in response to the UK points, Early School leaving cannot be solved by education alone”.
	A ministerial debate on this subject focused on prevention policies to combat early school leaving with particular emphasis on children from a socio-economically disadvantaged background, including the Roma. Member states were asked about national mechanisms for evaluating these policies, and the role of the EU in this area. I and a number of other member states noted that quality education, literacy and high attainment were key to combating early school leaving. I also noted that teachers had a key role to play and that pupil attainment was central to this issue, alongside clear measures of accountability. The presidency stated that a summary of this discussion would be presented to the June European Council.
	Early childhood education and care
	The Council adopted conclusions on early childhood education and care. The conclusions invite member states to analyse and evaluate existing early childhood services in terms of availability, affordability and quality. They also invite the Commission to support member states in exchanging good policies and practices and to broaden the evidence base in this field.
	Promoting the educational mobility of young people
	A Council recommendation on promoting the educational mobility of young people was also agreed. The recommendation suggests a number of measures including: improving information and guidance on educational mobility opportunities, improving language teaching and exchanges between schools, reducing administrative burdens linked to organising educational
	experiences abroad, and improving procedures for validation and recognition of educational outcomes following the period abroad.
	Italy abstained in the vote to agree the recommendation over concerns about referring to a monitoring system proposed by the Commission, known as the “mobility scoreboard”. A study into the feasibility of such a scoreboard is yet to be carried out.
	Youth Council
	The UK deputy permanent representative Andy Lebrecht represented the UK at the Youth Council.
	Effective participation of young people in democratic life
	The Council adopted a resolution on encouraging new and effective forms of participation of all young people in democratic life. The UK is strongly in favour of youth participation and I will host a representative young people’s advisory group that will scrutinise and provide feedback on emerging policy proposals.
	Structured dialogue with young people on youth employment
	The Council adopted a resolution on structured dialogue with young people and the EU Institutions on youth employment. The resolution recommends various changes to the structured dialogue with young people. This includes political follow-up of the results, greater participation by disadvantaged youth and improved working methods that provide a meaningful process for young people.
	Voluntary activities
	Ministers also debated voluntary activities of young people and their contribution to the development of local communities. National initiatives mentioned included subsidies for youth organisations and national citizenship programmes (in Italy, France, and the UK, where national citizen service will have its pilot this summer).

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Feed-in Tariffs

Gregory Barker: On 18 March I announced the start of a consultation on proposals to change feed-in tariffs (FITs) for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations larger than 50 kilowatts and farm-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) of up to 500 kilowatts.
	Having carefully considered the responses received, of which there were more than 500, I can now confirm the outcome of that consultation and the fast-track review of FITS.
	It is clear from all the evidence received as part of the consultation that the demand for feed-in tariff subsidy has grown so substantially that it now significantly exceeds the amount of funding available during this spending review period. Without urgent intervention, the scheme would have been completely overwhelmed within a very short period of time. That is why it is so important for us to act now: it is vital that we protect the integrity of the scheme and can continue to support the ambitious roll-out of new green decentralised energy technologies in homes, communities and small business.
	With that aim in mind, the coalition has decided to proceed with the proposed tariff reductions for solar photovoltaic (PV) installations larger than 50 kilowatts and all stand-alone installations, and increases for farm-scale AD as set out in the consultation document. The detail
	of this decision and the analysis underpinning it are set out in “Feed-in Tariffs Scheme: Summary of Responses to the Fast Track Consultation and Government Response” which the Government are publishing today and will be available at: www.decc.gov.uk/FITs.
	I recognise that this decision will be unwelcome to some, including those involved in large solar PV projects who disagreed with the proposals relating to PV. I can assure the House that it is not a decision that has been taken lightly. All the concerns raised by respondents, together with alternative approaches suggested, have been carefully considered, analysed and taken into account.
	However, these concerns have to be balanced against the need for a responsible approach to public subsidies like FITs, to ensure value-for-money for consumers and ensure scheme longevity. The fact remains that under the current tariffs, large-scale solar PV projects are securing much higher returns on investment than the scheme intended. This is reflected in the unanticipated number of such projects now in the pipeline.
	Put simply, the FITs scheme has a vital role in building a more decentralised energy economy, but if we do not act now to control short-term expenditure on solar PV more closely in line with the forecasts that we inherited from the last Government, the negative impacts on the scheme will be considerable and the amount of funding for other technologies and smaller, domestic-scale solar PV will be severely constrained.
	To give effect to these tariff changes, today a set of licence modifications to amend the standard licence conditions of electricity supply licences in Parliament. Subject to any necessary state aid clearance and the parliamentary process required by the Energy Act 2008, the generation tariffs changes will apply from 1 August 2011.
	The Government will not act retrospectively and these changes to generation tariffs will only affect new entrants into the FITs scheme from 1 August 2011. Installations which are already accredited for FITs at the time will not be affected.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Immigration

Damian Green: The Home Office is today publishing a consultation on employment-related settlement, tier 5 of the points-based system and overseas domestic workers. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
	Immigration has enriched our culture and strengthened our economy, but it must be controlled so that people have confidence in the system. This Government have already introduced a limit on non-EU economic migrants entering the UK; reshaped tiers 1 and 2 of the points-based system to increase selectivity and skills requirements; and announced changes to tier 4, the student visa system. These policies will result in a downward trend in net migration and a reduction in abuse, but we need to take further action to ensure we reach sustainable levels.
	This consultation is the next stage in our immigration reforms. We intend to break the automatic link between coming to the UK to work and settling here permanently. In 1997, there were fewer than 10,000 employment-related grants of settlement; by 2010, that number had risen to over 84,000. We need to be more selective about who we allow to stay. The consultation considers how we do that. Its starting point is that we need to be clearer in our labelling of temporary and permanent migration routes to enable migrants and the public to better understand the immigration system. We propose to reposition tier 2 as a temporary route, predominantly a means of filling short-term skills shortages in the UK labour market. Most tier 2 migrants should expect to leave the UK after a maximum of five years in the UK. In future, only a tightly controlled minority will be permitted to stay permanently, where it is in the interests of the UK to do so. We are seeking views on how to achieve this in a way which enables the best outcomes for the economy. Alongside the public consultation, the Home Secretary is also commissioning advice from the Migration Advisory Committee on the economic effects of removing or restricting settlement rights, and on criteria for identifying the most economically important migrants for settlement. We have already announced reforms to the tier 1 investor and entrepreneur categories, including the possibility of accelerated settlement for these high-value migrants. We will be consulting, however, on whether tier 1 exceptional-talent migrants should have an automatic route to settlement and whether we should remove the ability of all tier 1 migrants to apply for further leave to remain after five years in the UK. To aid integration and social cohesion, we are also considering the introduction of an English language requirement for the dependants of economic migrants who signal their intention to apply for settlement.
	The consultation also sets out proposals for reform of tier 5 of the points-based system and the overseas domestic worker routes.
	The Government do not plan any reforms to the tier 5 (youth mobility) category. We do, however, want to consider restricting leave under the tier 5 (temporary worker) categories to 12 months, to reinforce the temporary nature of the route, which is intended to be primarily for non-economic purposes, such as scientific exchange and artistic and cultural activities. The consultation asks whether it is right that migrants in these categories should be able to be accompanied by dependants and whether those dependants should have open access to the UK labour market. We will also consider raising the threshold for entry to the Government-authorised exchange sub-category of tier 5 so that the skills requirement is at graduate level, bringing it into line with the revised tier 2 arrangements. Our intention is that the UK ancestry route should remain unchanged.
	Finally, the consultation considers the two routes by which overseas domestic workers may enter the UK to accompany or join their employer’s household. Currently,
	there are two routes: one for domestic workers in private households and one for private servants working in diplomatic households. Both allow for extended periods of temporary leave (five years and six years respectively) and both enable the domestic worker to apply for settlement after five years. This is exceptionally generous, and sits ill with an immigration system focused on meeting identified skill shortages and securing the brightest and best migrants. We are also conscious that overseas domestic workers may be vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. The national referral mechanism provides an effective means of protection and support for victims but we are considering tackling the problem at source. So as well as seeking views on restricting leave to a maximum of six or 12 months, which would allow domestic workers to accompany their employer for a short period only, and removing the right to bring dependants, we also want to consider whether we should close the private households route altogether. This would oblige those wanting domestic workers to recruit instead from the UK labour market, with the rights and protections that affords.
	Details of the public consultation can be found on the Home Office website and copies will also be placed in the Library of the House.
	The consultation will run for three months, until 9 September and we will announce our firm plans in due course. As the Home Secretary announced in February, we intend the settlement reforms will affect those workers who entered economic migration routes under the immigration rules in force from 6 April this year and who, under the current system, could have expected to apply for settlement in 2016. The timing of reforms to tier 5 and the overseas domestic worker routes will depend on the outcome of consultation, but we would anticipate them taking effect during 2012.
	A further consultation document will be published later this year, considering the rules applying to those who come to the UK for family reasons such as marriage.

Police (Firearms)

Nick Herbert: The latest figures on police use of firearms in England and Wales from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 show that:
	The number of police operations in which firearms were authorised was 18,556—a decrease of 1,395 (7%) on the previous year.
	The number of authorised firearms officers (AFO’s) was 6,979—an increase of 111 (1.6%) officers overall on the previous year.
	The number of operations involving armed response vehicles was 14,089—a decrease of 2,475 (15%) on the previous year.
	The police discharged a conventional firearm in six incidents (up from five incidents in 2008-09).
	Full details are set out in the tables below:
	
		
			 Table 1- Number of Operations in which Firearms were Authorised 
			  Year 
			  2001/  0  2 2002/  0  3 2003/  0  4 2004/  0  5 2005/  0  6 2006/  0  7 2007/  0  8 2008/  0  9 2009/10 
			 AVON & SOMERSET 195 262 311 333 247 285 328 339 267 
			 BEDFORDSHIRE 237 301 442 475 575 663 1,217 1,229 869 
		
	
	
		
			 CAMBRIDGESHIRE 114 57 104 241 201 207 316 460 490 
			 CHESHIRE 419 451 397 358 367 340 317 269 314 
			 CLEVELAND 37 170 453 530 657 293 577 667 430 
			 CITY OF LONDON 40 131 364 404 323 239 365 63 38 
			 CUMBRIA 71 77 72 152 112 92 92 86 80 
			 DERBYSHIRE 275 401 369 287 305 223 211 310 198 
			 DEVON & CORNWALL 101 96 112 71 84 80 143 170 185 
			 DORSET 184 193 231 223 263 354 258 369 351 
			 DURHAM 89 83 156 144 291 340 206 181 140 
			 ESSEX 323 312 275 296 432 245 529 529 444 
			 GLOUCESTERSHIRE 165 185 127 176 229 280 162 132 175 
			 GTR MANCHESTER 580 518 507 461 478 481 497 524 415 
			 HAMPSHIRE 198 162 208 237 289 352 382 362 292 
			 HERTFORDSHIRE 112 172 195 185 187 280 303 343 205 
			 HUMBERSIDE 297 187 183 206 362 235 209 123 133 
			 KENT 115 137 207 163 219 170 202 280 275 
			 LANCASHIRE 232 238 318 241 240 410 388 281 245 
			 LEICESTERSHIRE 300 268 295 260 363 334 318 347 280 
			 LINCOLNSHIRE 477 392 386 294 220 157 158 133 73 
			 MERSEYSIDE 1,020 628 751 733 669 727 829 556 701 
			 METROPOLITAN 2,447 3,199 3,563 2,964 4,711 3,878 4,948 5,044 5,534 
			 NORFOLK 175 200 178 195 175 153 174 274 192 
			 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 43 138 148 158 137 156 159 120 109 
			 NORTHUMBRIA 1,440 1,275 1,140 977 611 332 229 154 156 
			 NORTH YORKSHIRE 92 100 147 185 183 282 329 289 272 
			 NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 384 452 459 408 394 289 270 245 194 
			 SOUTH YORKSHIRE 258 463 484 546 749 737 628 538 533 
			 STAFFORDSHIRE 232 281 255 216 171 250 244 209 183 
			 SUFFOLK 163 270 251 153 202 256 193 237 225 
			 SURREY 245 247 203 151 222 222 375 479 188 
			 SUSSEX 248 204 280 187 190 201 331 331 227 
			 THAMES VALLEY 179 167 195 289 427 264 293 344 319 
			 WARWICKSHIRE 130 149 164 124 180 162 150 145 129 
			 WEST MERCIA 117 91 197 162 122 155 202 171 122 
			 WEST MIDLANDS(1) 822 902 1,377 1,264 1,044 1,557 1,063 1,109 933 
			 WEST YORKSHIRE 757 604 575 853 1,335 1,272 1,130 1,367 1,512 
			 WILTSHIRE 45 58 63 88 139 226 128 158 152 
			 DYFED POWYS 28 29 28 51 63 72 155 92 71 
			 GWENT 20 37 40 81 94 133 334 152 151 
			 NORTH WALES 302 259 197 223 350 340 259 185 126 
			 SOUTH WALES 283 281 250 236 279 308 293 555 628 
			 TOTAL 13,991 14,827 16,657 15,981 18,891 18,032 19,894 19,951 18,556 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2 – Number of Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs) 
			  Year 
			  2001/  0  2 2002/  0  3 2003/  0  4 2004/  0  5 2005/  0  6 2006/  0  7 2007/  0  8 2008/  0  9 2009/10 
			 AVON & SOMERSET 116 84 122 118 117 103 123 127 124 
			 BEDFORDSHIRE 48 53 58 56 59 57 53 50 54 
			 CAMBRIDGESHIRE 56 71 60 60 50 46 49 51 45 
			 CHESHIRE 81 89 75 76 73 80 72 88 95 
			 CLEVELAND 85 80 95 100 100 105 97 83 72 
			 CITY OF LONDON 73 72 86 89 86 45 49 50 51 
			 CUMBRIA 92 87 89 90 89 90 97 86 91 
			 DERBYSHIRE 80 69 70 74 75 69 61 61 71 
			 DEVON & CORNWALL 108 115 132 123 122 132 142 146 157 
			 DORSET 57 59 60 64 62 67 71 79 65 
			 DURHAM 86 102 97 103 100 102 89 82 81 
			 ESSEX 180 184 186 202 205 220 225 223 223 
			 GLOUCESTERSHIRE 71 80 82 93 92 94 95 97 108 
		
	
	
		
			 GTR MANCHESTER 219 202 205 187 245 217 250 296 237 
			 HAMPSHIRE 87 94 94 92 97 83 85 93 96 
			 HERTFORDSHIRE 46 47 50 53 52 49 53 50 46 
			 HUMBERSIDE 96 96 96 101 92 83 87 80 77 
			 KENT 113 93 90 94 94 98 87 110 103 
			 LANCASHIRE 138 129 122 115 123 103 143 105 94 
			 LEICESTERSHIRE 69 68 51 53 59 67 64 73 76 
			 LINCOLNSHIRE 91 87 78 86 87 75 77 69 60 
			 MERSEYSIDE 78 84 94 93 129 139 153 154 141 
			 METROPOLITAN 1,805 1,823 2,060 2,134 2,331 2,584 2,530 2,740 2,856 
			 NORFOLK 104 109 114 125 119 127 114 106 111 
			 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 51 56 52 50 56 59 53 50 55 
			 NORTHUMBRIA 125 99 90 93 98 92 96 95 102 
			 NORTH YORKSHIRE 66 64 60 56 78 67 67 63 64 
			 NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 136 131 138 138 149 146 137 133 91 
			 SOUTH YORKSHIRE 92 100 98 122 116 118 106 99 102 
			 STAFFORDSHIRE 71 63 67 76 70 82 82 75 85 
			 SUFFOLK 90 80 96 88 84 78 74 67 68 
			 SURREY 62 48 53 49 51 45 54 54 60 
			 SUSSEX 120 141 134 130 129 129 123 123 114 
			 THAMES VALLEY 156 180 172 176 180 186 180 180 193 
			 WARWICKSHIRE 50 51 46 53 55 59 63 66 76 
			 WEST MERCIA(2) 125 131 139 141 152 133 163 137 115 
			 WEST MIDLANDS 111 110 124 134 145 175 177 165 180 
			 WEST YORKSHIRE 116 132 140 130 150 148 147 135 156 
			 WILTSHIRE 71 78 80 74 72 69 67 74 69 
			 DYFED POWYS 77 62 58 79 68 72 67 63 64 
			 GWENT 57 60 71 74 86 64 63 54 61 
			 NORTH WALES 83 75 73 65 57 56 57 53 76 
			 SOUTH WALES 138 125 139 134 130 115 138 121 114 
			 TOTAL 5,776 5,763 6,096 6,243 6,584 6,728 6,780 6,868 6,979 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3 – Number of Operations Involving Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs) 
			 Year 
			  2001/  0  2 2002/  0  3 2003/  0  4 2004/  0  5 2005/  0  6 2006/  0  7 2007/  0  8 2008/  0  9 2009/10 
			 AVON & SOMERSET 173 215 249 312 167 192 292 231 137 
			 BEDFORDSHIRE 172 269 414 419 534 639 1,171 1,188 819 
			 CAMBRIDGESHIRE 43 45 155 172 160 172 221 366 393 
			 CHESHIRE(3) 523 337 356 773 807 793 642 221  
			 CLEVELAND 13 63 86 154 285 290 554 661 426 
			 CITY OF LONDON 39 131 364 275 234 183 200 63 32 
			 CUMBRIA 53 45 65 134 90 72 74 56 51 
			 DERBYSHIRE 253 363 312 254 257 183 187 252 169 
			 DEVON & CORNWALL 76 32 94 54 54 76 120 138 168 
			 DORSET 182 180 215 195 246 322 238 347 349 
			 DURHAM 57 66 96 91 256 204 192 164 140 
			 ESSEX 165 176 138 138 155 224 226 391 273 
			 GLOUCESTERSHIRE 140 166 109 121 145 213 147 120 100 
			 GTR MANCHESTER 528 406 440 364 306 214 196 460 292 
			 HAMPSHIRE 116 108 128 167 178 270 271 247 194 
			 HERTFORDSHIRE 81 129 157 155 160 226 262 311 182 
			 HUMBERSIDE 273 170 158 184 335 232 183 94 111 
			 KENT 89 132 193 124 183 373 364 325 227 
			 LANCASHIRE 192 185 273 228 232 383 313 279 239 
			 LEICESTERSHIRE 292 232 269 232 328 313 268 332 263 
			 LINCOLNSHIRE 470 367 355 276 210 147 153 128 63 
			 MERSEYSIDE 974 547 687 677 611 644 734 445 631 
			 METROPOLITAN 1,667 2,447 2,423 2,322 2,572 2,770 2,303 3,283 3,563 
			 NORFOLK 157 186 169 163 149 133 165 252 176 
		
	
	
		
			 NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 25 90 99 89 101 119 127 117 88 
			 NORTHUMBRIA 1,349 1,204 1,063 893 585 299 199 129 134 
			 NORTH YORKSHIRE 60 67 110 144 208 268 318 287 267 
			 NOTTINGHAMSHIRE 333 397 404 336 342 256 246 197 175 
			 SOUTH YORKSHIRE 221 280 322 438 632 522 493 387 325 
			 STAFFORDSHIRE 208 241 212 183 154 222 231 192 155 
			 SUFFOLK 116 160 194 119 149 204 148 206 189 
			 SURREY 225 240 190 140 204 209 380 469 174 
			 SUSSEX 189 171 250 163 162 165 311 248 177 
			 THAMES VALLEY 174 167 179 265 355 227 254 292 272 
			 WARWICKSHIRE 104 31 138 102 144 121 113 100 92 
			 WEST MERCIA 100 111 241 152 94 120 121 128 148 
			 WEST MIDLANDS(1) 563 592 975 952 745 518 716 739 689 
			 WEST YORKSHIRE 609 565 543 656 1,040 1,048 1,098 1,361 1,203 
			 WILTSHIRE 43 39 28 54 124 190 359 499 120 
			 DYFED POWYS 28 29 28 48 55 72 135 80 59 
			 GWENT 16 16 23 74 85 109 257 138 147 
			 NORTH WALES 265 198 153 180 299 295 221 156 107 
			 SOUTH WALES 218 253 161 165 223 283 222 485 570 
			 TOTAL 11,574 11,848 13,218 13,137 14,355 14,515 15,425 16,564 14,089 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 4 – Number of Incidents where Conventional Firearms were Discharged 
			 Year 
			  2001/  0  2 2002/  0  3 2003/  0  4 2004/  0  5 2005/  0  6 2006/  0  7 2007/  0  8 2008/  0  9 2009/10 
			 INCIDENTS 11 10 4 5 9 3 7 5 6 
			 % of incidents compared with number of authorised operations 0.079 0.067 0.024 0.031 0.048 0.017 0.033 0.025 0.032 
			 Source: Association of Chief Police Officers (Does not include discharges for animal destruction or during police training) 
		
	
	Notes for tables:
	1. Revised figure for 2007/08 from West Midlands Police
	2. Revised figure for 2008/09 from West Mercia Constabulary
	3. Cheshire did not record ARV operations for 2009/10
	Source: Home Office Public Order Unit, based on information aggregated from figures provided by individual police forces as part of the Home Office annual data requirement. This was followed by a further quality assurance process involving the Home Office asking individual forces to verify and sign off their figures.
	The information provided is a regular annual update of figures previously published and available on the Home Office website here:
	http://tna.europarchive.org/20100419081706/http:/www.police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-policing/firearms/index.html.
	Home Office guidance to forces for providing these figures is contained within the booklet “Annual Data Requirement, Police Personnel and Performance Data, Notes for Guidance”. For the purpose of this statistical return AFOs are deemed to be deployed when
	“they are required to conduct a specific task during which their possession of a firearm (with appropriate authorisation) is a required element”(Chapter 3, paragraph 3.1 ACPO  “ Manual of Guidance on Police Use of Firearms ”).
	In addition to the total number of operations, a further sub-category is required regarding those operations where the initial or sole response is by armed response vehicle (ARV).
	Each incident will be classed as only one operation regardless of the number of personnel/deployments or tactics employed to deal with the incident.
	Deployments also include those incidents where AFOs “self-authorise”.
	The number of officers authorised to use firearms as at 31 March 2010.

TRANSPORT

No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron

Theresa Villiers: As the House will be aware, work was carried out by the royal household in 2008 to consider the option for procuring a small aircraft for official travel within the UK. This work concluded that such an acquisition could not at that time be justified on the grounds of value-for-money.
	The royal household therefore continue to make use of chartered air services and the scheduled market and, where irreducible spare capacity exists, will continue to make use of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Employment Support (Disabled People)

Maria Miller: I have today published a copy of the report to the Government by Liz Sayce, chief executive of RADAR, reviewing specialist disability employment programmes. Copies of the report will be available in the Vote Office.
	Meeting the aspirations of disabled people for employment in the full range of jobs and sectors of the economy, and ensuring that the services we provide
	reflect the needs of individual disabled people in the modern work place are important goals. The employment services we provide for disabled people must be effective. This report shows clearly that there is more that needs to be done.
	I welcome this review, and the central theme that resources for supporting disabled people into and in employment should be primarily focused on disabled people themselves.
	The report contains a range of specific recommendations, and the Government intend to consult on these before making any decisions. A full response and consultation will be issued shortly.